The Missing Link
by Elfinium
Summary: A missing piece of fluff towards the end of series one between episodes 5 & 6. What I wanted to happen between Stephen and Abby... almost.  Disclaimer, I don't own the rights to the characters, I just borrowed them for a while. Please Review, it helps.


As the Pteranodon soared overhead, Abby leapt into Stephens arms. They cheered and waved as Cutter tempted the creature towards the anomaly. It disappeared with a wink.

The excitement over, the two suddenly realised their close proximity, Abby's legs wrapped around his waist, their arms entwined. There was an awkward moment as Stephen lowered the tiny blonde to the ground. Not wanting to catch his eye, Abby fastidiously straightened her clothing; she could feel Stephen watching her.

"What?" She said looking up defiantly.

The others wandered away.

"Nothing." Stephen replied, trying not to smile.

"It was a reflex, that's all, there's no need to read anything into it." She said, daring him to laugh at her again.

"That's a shame." He said half turning away. "I suppose that dinner is out of the question then?"

"Is your memory playing up again, isn't there a little matter of your _girlfriend_?"

Even before Stephen turned back to her he knew she would be standing with her hands on her hips.

"It didn't work out. Too long apart. And with this job… you know… there are other distractions…"

Abby didn't say anything.

"Anyway." He said breaking the silence. "It's up to you."

Lifting a crate he began to walk back to the vehicles. Abby followed with her own box. Stephen took it from her and loaded it on to the truck. They walked back for more, neither speaking.

Stephen was about to leave again, when Abby heavily put down the aluminium box she'd just lifted.

"Careful." He said. "That's sensitive stuff."

"Ok…. But just dinner."

Stephen smiled slowly, remembering their last conversation on the subject. "Of course."

* * *

Abby rushed out of her bedroom for the fifth time.

"What about this one?" She asked Conner

Without even looking up from his games console he said "Fine."

"You're not even looking." She said petulantly.

He glanced up quickly then said "Fine."

Abby looked down at herself and grimaced.

"I think I might go and try the first one on again." She said.

"If I was going out with you I wouldn't care what you wore. You could wear a bin bag for all I'd care." Conner said.

"Go out with many women who wear bin bags do you?" She jibed.

"He's seen you in your underwear Abs, I doubt you're going to top that."

Abby coloured slightly at the memory.

"I might just try the first one on again." She said just as the doorbell rang.

"Ooooh he's early… do I look ok? CONNER! Do I look ok?"

"You look wonderful, Abs." Conner said with genuine feeling.

"Wish me luck." She replied before tripping towards the door.

"Yeah, right, like you need luck!" Conner murmured under his breath.

Abby opened the door. Stephen stood almost awkwardly on the doorstep.

"Hello." She said remembering to breathe.

"Abby." He smiled. Abby clutched the doorpost to stop the weakness in her legs.

"Damn." She thought. "So much for I used to fancy you and now I don't."

"You look lovely." He said.

"Oh this old thing." She replied nonchalantly.

"Bu…." Conner began in the background.

"See you later Conner." She said quickly interrupting him as she hurried through the door. "Don't wait up."

* * *

"Nice restaurant." Abby said as they entered the plush surroundings. She wished for the fifteenth time that she'd changed again.

"Ah Mr Hart!" The maitre de approached his arms outstretched. "So nice to see you again. Your table is all ready."

"Come here a lot do you?" Abby whispered.

"I used to come here most evenings." Stephen whispered back.

Abby frowned slightly as they were led to a secluded table. She bit her lip slightly as the maitre de fussed around seating them and producing the wine list.

Abby waited until he was gone before leaning across the table.

"You came here on your own to eat?"

Stephen studied the menu. "I did eat here an awful lot."

Abby stared as he perused the menu, a slight mischievous smile on his lips. Eventually he caught her eye.

"Is this where you take all of your dinner dates?" She snapped.

Stephen laughed much against his normal guarded nature.

"No, it isn't."

Stephen folded the menu and placed it quietly on the table.

"Are you always this suspicious?" He asked.

"No." Abby replied quickly.

"I used to come here a lot because I worked here to support myself through university."

Abby blushed slightly. "Oh."

Stephen picked up the menu. "I can't imagine where you've got this impression of me… the fish is very good."

Slightly flustered Abby opened her menu and tried to read the words in front of her.

* * *

A glass of wine, and a starter later, Abby was relaxed. This was Stephen, she saw him every day at work. Ok, most of the time they were chasing monsters, or trying not to be eaten by monsters, or trying to stop other people being eaten by monsters, not really the environment for idle chat. She began to realise that she didn't know very much about him outside being the hunter and that he looked damn good in a wet suit, but what she was learning so far was good.

"Did you get your thermostat fixed?" Stephen was asking.

Abby shook herself out of her thoughts.

"What?... Oh no, not yet, you know how it is with these engineers."

"Still, you could get Connor to have a look at it? Must be some benefits to having him around?"

Abby laughed. "I don't want my flat blown up entirely!"

With the arrival of the meal Abby realised Stephen was staring at her.

"I know what you're thinking. How is one person supposed to eat all this food? I was wondering the same thing myself." She said lightly.

"I was actually thinking that you really are very beautiful."

Abby coloured slightly. "I think you've had too much wine." She admonished gently.

"Half a glass, honest officer."

Abby awkwardly began to push her food around her plate.

"You really find it hard to take a compliment don't you?" He said eventually. "Why is that?"

"I suppose its not something I'm used to." She said without looking up.

"I can't believe that. You must have broken a few hearts."

Abby shook her head. "It's normally my heart that gets broken. I have an amazing knack of attracting what my mother would call the wrong sort."

"Am I the wrong sort?"

Stephen was looking at her so intently Abby nearly lost herself in his blue eyes.

"Ahem… lets see. Good looking, charming, tall, mysterious… oh yes I'd say you were definitely a wrong un."

Stephen laughed. "Oh yes you make me sound absolutely awful! What makes you think I'm mysterious?"

"You don't give very much away, you're very careful about what you say. I've worked with you all this time and I didn't even know you had a girlfriend!"

"It wasn't something I was likely to broadcast was it, especially to you!"

"Why not, it wasn't as though you were interested in me?"

"I think we both know that isn't exactly true is it?"

"But it took a near death experience for you to mention it." Abby said.

Stephen sighed. "I don't think you fully appreciate the effect you can have Abby Maitland. Did it occur to you that perhaps I was shy?"

"Shy! You? Oh and the fact you were attached?"

"Yes, that did have something to do with it. But you didn't seem that interested."

Abby coughed. "For someone so observant Stephen, you really have been walking around with your eyes shut."

* * *

By the time the meal was over, any awkwardness was completely gone. Abby kept wanting to pinch herself to check this was happening.

"Would you like coffee sir?" The waiter asked.

"No, thank you, I think we can make our own arrangements?" Stephen replied his eyes on Abby questioningly.

"Um, I suppose we could." She said, her heart beating faster.

"Very good sir."

The short walk to the car was silent, suddenly Stephen stopped.

"Listen!"

Abby strained her ears. "What was it?" She hissed.

"Come, listen." He whispered back.

Abby stood in front of him her face turned upwards listening intently.

"What is it? A creature?"

Stephen put his fingers to his lips and leant forward. They both froze.

"I can't hear anything." Abby said eventually.

Suddenly Stephen bent and kissed her gently.

"My mistake." He said as he turned and walked towards the car.

Abby stood a moment stunned before jogging to catch up with him.

"Stephen Hart that was the cheesiest thing I have ever seen!" She said catching up with him.

"Worked though!" He answered unlocking the car.

"You could have asked?" Abby clipped her seatbelt.

Stephen laughed as he put the key in the ignition. "Wouldn't that have been even more cheesy?"

"Not if you do it right."

Stephen turned in his seat to face her.

"Miss Abby Maitland, I would very much like to kiss you, would that be acceptable?"

Abby looked serious as if considering the question.

"Yes Mr Hart, I believe it would."

This time the kiss was more insistent, more intense leaving them both slightly breathless.

"Did you say something about coffee?" Abby asked, her tone clear that coffee was the last thing on her mind.

"Coffee, yes, definitely." Stephen said, starting the car.

* * *

There was a scratching at Stephens' door as if someone was struggling with keys. Suddenly the door was flung open as Stephen and Abbey almost fell inside as one. All the pent up sexual tension seemed to have exploded in one mass of arms and lips. Stephen lifted the tiny blonde in his arms and kicking the door closed behind him, carried her to the bedroom. Before long Abby lay on the duvet wearing only her underwear, Stephen stood looking down on her, bare chested, he began to unbuckle his belt, as simultaneously their phones began to ring.

* * *

Cutter, Claudia Brown and Conner had already arrived in the park as Stephen leapt out of the car.

"What have we got?" He asked.

Conner peered around the tall man to see Abby getting out of Stephens' car looking slightly flustered.

"Not sure yet," Cutter answered, "Anonymous report of something large and scaly wandering around."

"Anonymous, that's unusual?" Stephen said.

"And extremely inconvenient." Claudia added in her clipped tones. "I'm not sure that we want someone out there with potential evidence of a creature sighting."

Soldiers moved in the shadows.

"The area is now secure, nothing is coming in or out of there without our knowledge." Captain Ryan announced.

"Good, because until we know what we're dealing with it would be a good idea to keep the public out of here." Cutter said.

Claudia snorted. "It's nearly midnight, why would anyone be in a park at midnight?"

Captain Ryan and Cutter exchanged a glance. Cutter smiled slightly and lightly touched her arm.

"Claudia Brown, I sometimes think you may have had a very sheltered life."

Conner moved towards Abby who stood a little way aside.

"Bad timing?" Conner asked conspiratorially.

"No," Abby said a little too quickly, "Why on earth would it be bad timing? Of course not, silly thing to say."

"It's just that your err jumper thing is inside out… as if you had to put it on in a hurry?

"It was warm in the restaurant, I took it off, ok?" Abby glowered as she corrected the mistake.

"Ok, Ok!" Conner backed away, his hands up in mock surrender.

Two hours and a thorough search later there were no signs of an anomaly, creature or anything to suggest there ever had been.

"Must have been a hoax." Stephen said leaning against the bonnet of the 4x4.

"Why would anyone do that?" Claudia said. "It's not as if it's common knowledge!"

"Unless it was somebody wanting us out of the way?" Cutter said levelly.

"You think Helen?" Stephen asked. "Why? What could she gain?"

Cutter sighed, "I've long ago stopped trying to work out why Helen does anything. Claudia Brown, anything else come up we should have been investigating?"

Claudia shook her head.

"Well then," Nick continued. "Nothing else for it. It's late. I suggest we all go home and get some rest, I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to be a very busy day."

Stephen and Abby walked towards the car. Seeing them go Conner raced after them, throwing an arm around their shoulders.

"Since you're giving Abby a lift home I don't suppose you could drop me off too?" He said beaming at the taller man.

Stephen glanced at the arm around his shoulder and meaningfully back at Conner.

"Sorry." Conner said sheepishly removing the offending limb.

"Didn't you bring my mini Conner?" Abby asked pointedly.

"No, no I didn't, I was out, kind of in the area you know, so no."

"Conner. What were you doing in a park in the middle of the night?" Stephen questioned.

"Weeeell I wasn't in the park… I'd gone for a drink, just up the road actually… funny that, a coincidence really. Hee hee?"

"Stephen, would you mind waiting for us in the car, there is something I would like to ask Conner." Abby said sweetly.

Arching an eyebrow Stephen twirled his keys and strode towards the car, as soon as he was out of earshot Abby grabbed Conner by the lapels.

"Now Conner. I am going to ask you this once and you'd better have a really, really good story ready. Am I right in thinking you are the one who set up this little hoax purely for the purposes of disturbing my evening with Stephen?"

Conner looked as indignant as anyone can when they are being held in a vice like grip.

"No, no, no, of course not, what do you take me for… no!"

"Conner…" Abby growled.

"Oh all right, I might have made one little phone call."

Abby pushed him away, disgusted. "What is wrong with you?"

"I was worried about you Abby, I mean look at him." Conner pleaded. They both looked towards the car where Stephen appeared to be quite happily humming along to the radio.

"He's adorable." Abby said softly.

"Exactly my point Abs." Conner gripped her by the shoulders. "When he's around you don't think straight, you get that great soppy look on your face and the rest of us might as well not exist!"

"I don't" Abby pouted.

"You do! Ok so he's handsome and tall and a bit brave I suppose…"

"With the most amazing blue eyes and you should see him without a shirt on…"

"Abby! No! Not something I want to imagine! But you see, you go all dreamy and I'm worried for you Abby."

"You think I can't do my job?"

Conner shook his head. "It's not that, I think he's going to break your heart."

"It's my heart to break Conner, you shouldn't interfere!"

"I know I know, I was just trying to protect you, what's the rush? If he's serious then one night isn't going to make any difference is it… is it?"

Abby considered for a moment. "No, I suppose not and it is getting kind of late."

* * *

Conner got out of the car.

"I'll be there in a minute, put the kettle on." Abby said.

Conner dithered for a moment before finally heading towards the door.

"Well tonight didn't exactly go how we thought it would, did it?" Abby said carefully.

Stephen laughed. "Not exactly no… but it was still pretty good?"

"Oh yes… pretty good, could use some practice obviously." She replied waving her hand dismissively.

"Yes, obviously."

"So what did you like best, the food or the running around a park in the middle of the night looking for the bogey man?"

Stephen cupped her face in his hand and pulled her towards him.

"I think the thing I liked best was this." He said softly as they kissed.

Abbys' arms snaked around his neck as she pulled him closer, the kiss deepened.

Reluctantly their lips parted.

"Mmmm." She murmered. "I think I agree with you there."

"They'll be other nights." Stephen said resting his head against her forehead.

"Lots of other nights." She agreed.

"No need to rush into anything."

"The anticipation will be worth it?"

Stephen pulled away slowly. "We've waited this long, another day isn't going to make any difference."

Trying not to show her disappointment at the loss of contact Abby smiled. "Of course not. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow."

Abby watched for a long time as the rear lights disappeared into the night.

"I could kill you sometimes Conner." She muttered under her breath before finally going into the house.

* * *

Three days later, nothing had been said. Abby had tried to pick up something from Stephen, anything, but aside from being his normal friendly self, there seemed to be no indication that he was looking to pick up where they left off. It was frankly driving her mad. In a way she was grateful to be going off to the zoo.

Standing in the polytunnel, she watched the sea lions dancing and gliding through the water. Resting her hands upon the glass she wondered for the hundredth time what was going on in Stephens' head. Was he angry with her, had he changed his mind, why wasn't he saying anything? 'God I hate it when he's cool and aloof' She thought to herself. 'He obviously doesn't care about me at all."

Annoyed, she stepped backwards and nearly jumped out of her skin as collided with someone behind her.

"Don't creep up on me like that!" She said slapping him.

"I wasn't creeping… I was walking… normally." Stephen said turning to face her. "You alright?"

"Why shouldn't I be?" Abbey responded defensively.

"There might be a creature here… we think it killed the lion… and maybe your boss."

Abby sighed.

"The others are on their way."

Abby smiled. "You came here on your own just coz you were worried about me?"

"Well." Stephen said not catching her eye. "You and the err sea lions. I'd hate it if anything happened to them."

Abby lifted her chin waiting for the kiss she knew must be surely coming. What she wasn't expecting was to be suddenly propelled backwards, Stephens hand over her mouth.

"What are you doing!" She just managed to gasp before he silenced her.

"There's something down here." He whispered.

Abby heard the thing land, but Stephen kept her head turned away, she felt his heartbeat quicken as he saw whatever it was. Glancing up, Abby tried to read his face, but it was deadly serious in concentration.

Suddenly she heard people approaching. The creature leapt and Stephen instinctively shielded her.

"You ok?" Captain Ryan asked as the soldiers ran in pursuit.

"Yes." Stephen replied, Abby could only nod in agreement. Ryan touched Abby lightly on the arm before shouldering his weapon and making off towards the creature.

"You… you saved my life… if I think… If I'd been here alone…"Abby gasped.

Stephen took her by the shoulders until her eyes met his.

"I'll always be here for you Abby."

Abby smiled weakly.

"But now, we have a creature to catch." Stephen said.

Abby could see the look of determination on his face, there was no point trying to talk to him when his mind was on the hunt.

"Then what are we standing around here for?" She said more cheerfully than she felt.

"That's my girl." Stephen kissed her lightly on the forehead before taking off after the soldiers at a loping run.

"When this is all over Stephen Hart." Abby said shaking herself, "You are going to get so lucky."

* * *

They waited nervously. Ryan, Cutter and Helen seemed to have been gone for an age. All eyes were on the anomaly, one in case something came through which wasn't human, and two in the event that it began to diminish. Stephen stood forward.

"Always one to be right in the line of fire." Abby thought to herself. She allowed her attention to stray momentarily from the flickering lights. "It's just too perfect." She considered. "He's just too perfect, look at him standing there."

He chose that moment to turn and smile, catching her watching him before returning his attention to the anomaly.

"I must stop doing that." Abby mentally scolded herself. "Mind on the job in hand, there will be plenty of time for that later."

_**And the world changed, without anyone missing a heartbeat.**_

The silence was deafening. After Helen's revelation, and Cutter returning from the anomaly raving about a woman who didn't exist, no-one knew what to say.

Abby was stunned and disappointed. She respected Stephen, liked him, but couldn't really see why Helen would find him so irresistible, he was just Stephen. She supposed she could understand how he wouldn't see the point. For all intensive purposes Helen was dead, what would be the reason for Stephen telling his best friend that he had betrayed him? But still this was going to make the dynamic of the team very strained for a while. She had a nagging feeling that there was something else, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. It was probably all that talk about things changing, she wondered briefly if anything in her life had been different if Cutters' crazy claims were true.

Abby leant her head on Conners' shoulder. It had been a very long day.


End file.
